The Pewamo-Westphalia girls basketball team shook off a slow start Thursday night to earn a 49-5 win over Potterville.

The win gives the Pirates a 5-0 record in Central Michigan Athletic Conference play, keeping them atop the league standings heading into winter break.

"We started slow out of the gate, but we were able to force some turnovers that led to points and went from there," P-W coach Steve Eklund said. "We just wanted to go out and worry about what we do and work on some things that will make us better."

The Vikings kept the game close over the first few minutes, scoring on their only two made field goals of the game, as they trailed the Pirates 5-4. However, P-W's full-court press caused problems for Potterville and the home team finished the quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 15-4 advantage.

In the second, the Pirates' run continued as the Vikings struggled to score. Their drought ended late in the quarter on a made free-throw.

At the half, P-W held a 39-5 advantage.

Joanna Klein paced the Pirates with 11 points, while Brooke Lewis finished with eight points and dished out eight assists.

Following two tough nonconference losses, to Williamston and Lakewood, the Lady Pirates have rattled off five-straight victories, including wins over CMAC favorite Portland St. Patrick and rival Fowler.

"We couldn't ask for anything more at this point of the season," Eklund said. "We got bounced early in a couple of nonconference games, but now we are going into the break and looking to get healthy while we get ready for Flint Beecher next week."

P-W (5-2, 5-0 in CMAC) will travel to Detroit Country Day High School on Dec. 28 to take on the Buccaneers in the Motor City Classic girls basketball showcase.

"It's important to see a different style of basketball," Eklund said. "Beecher plays a faster style than we are used to and it's not bad to see where we are at compared to teams out of the area."